How long do you normally spend in the pediatrician’s office with your child? The latest issue of Pediatrics reported that a third of parents said the last well-child visit with the doctor lasted 10 minutes or less. About half said the checkup lasted 11 to 20 minutes. That leaves about 20 percent who say the visit took longer than 20 minutes. Pediatricians are taking these stats into consideration when dealing with patients.
They need to fit in everything from car seat safety to vaccines to breastfeeding. However, the shorter the visit, the less time doctors have to focus on the child and their milestones. When doctors were screening for a child’s progress in hitting developmental milestones – only 70 percent of the time was that done in visits that lasted long 21 minutes or more. In the shortest vists, it happened only half the time.
Despite the shorter times, parents still said they were satisfied. 4 out of 5 parents said they were happy with the care their child had recived. In the end, it is up to the parents to make sure they bring up all issues with their pediatrician. If a pediatrician makes you feel rushed or like your questions are stupid, it may be time to find a new one.
What do you think about the time your pediatrician spends with your child during well-child check-ups?
